Redevelopment work stalled at Rio's iconic Maracana stadium after the 2014 World Cup, and it again fell into disrepair after the 2016 Olympic Games.

More than 7,000 of the 80,000 seats went missing, there were gaping holes left in ceilings and many of the catering areas were stripped bare.

Rio's state government and Maracana SA - the firm responsible for running the stadium - blamed the Rio 2016 Olympic organising committee.

Brazil's Arena da Amazonia, in the middle of the Amazon jungle, cost 140 million pounds to build for the 2014 World Cup, and had no real prospect of being used after the tournament.

Authorities also struggled to find a use for at least three other grounds - the £105 million Dunas stadium in Natal, Cuiaba's £148 million Arena Pantanal, and Brasilia's National Stadium, at £400 million the most expensive ever built in the country's history.

The National Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia is now used for parking buses (Image: Buda Mendes - FIFA)

It was finally used - for parking buses.

The total bill for unused or derelict stadia rose to more than £1 billion including work on the Maracana - in a country desperately starved of resources to improve services for the poorest in society.

The construction in Manaus involved installing special plastic chairs that will not fade in the 30 degree sunlight and oppressive heat.

More than 7,000 tonnes of steel had to be barged up the Amazon to help construct the new Arena which was only just finished in time for the big kick off.

The stadium in Manaus had a host of special features (Image: Mario Tama)

The Winter Olympic stadium was set to be demolished after the games (Image: AFP)

The yellow grass was dyed green to give a global TV audience the impression of lush turf in a new stadium.

The sheer inaccessibility of the arena meant it fell into disrepair due to lack of use. In South Korea, after the 2002 World Cup, four of the six stadia were not used, despite the multi-million pound bill to build them.

So it was decided the 35,000-seat Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang, built for the Winter Games this year, should simply be demolished - after being used four times.

The £75m 'pop up' venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics.

World Cup 2018 stadia - the lowdown

Kazan Arena

Capacity: 45,379

Kazan was named the 'sports capital' of Russia in 2009. The City will host four group stage matches, one last-16 tie and a quarter-final. Designed by the architects of Wembley Stadium and the Emirates, it's star attraction is the in-ground high definition screen - the biggest of it's type in the world.

Ekaterinburg Arena

Capacity: 35,696

A thousand miles from Moscow and just south of the Ural mountains, this stadium was redeveloped especially for this summer's World Cup.

Fisht Stadium

Capacity: 47,659

Logistics will not be an issue down in Sochi, a city that has previously hosted the Winter Olympics. But the city's only professional team is languishing in the lower divisions. The stadium's roof was removed to meet Fifa regulations. It looks like the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Kaliningrad Stadium

Capacity: 35,212

The westernmost host city in the tournament, Kaliningrad is located close to the border with Lithuania and Poland. The brand new ground will not be used past the group stage, and has seen plenty of difficulties during its constructions, mainly because of the marshy land it is built on. The riverside location is picturesque, on an island outside of the city centre called Oktyabrsky Island. The design was inspired by Munich's Allianz Arena.

Spartak Stadium

Capacity: 45,360

Built for both for the tournament and as a permanent home for Spartak Moscow. Has a statue of gladiator Spartacus.

Rostov Arena

Capacity: 45,145

Amazingly, the capacity will be reduced to just 5,000 once the World Cup is over, and FC Rostov move in.

Saint Petersburg Stadium

Capacity: 64,287

Despite building delays, the new stadium in St Petersburg looks spectacular. One of the semi-finals will be played here, and the stadium adjacent to a theme park, with rollercoasters for the more adventurous fan.

Samara Arena

Capacity: 44,807

Samara was once home of the Soviet space programme and the stadium certainly looks extra-terrestrial. Critics of Russia's planning and the tournament's cost to the country frequently point to this venue, which has continuously run behind schedule. The Samara arena will hosts four group stage matches.

Mordovia Arena

Capacity: 44,442

The ground will only host group stage matches.

Volgograd Arena

Capacity: 45,568

What was once a faceless edifice has been restored into a vibrant modern venue. Steel girders have replaced slabs of concrete, allowing natural light onto the pitch.